Rail anchor



April 9, 1929.

RAIL ANCHOR Filed Dec. 1927 WNW x L. D. LOVEKIN Zurv/ae a dare/em INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

PATENT QFFICE.

LUTHER D. LOVEKIN', OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BAIL ANCHOR.

Application filed December 9, 1927. Serial No. 238,891.

The invention relates to so-called rail anchors whose function it is to prevent the creeping of rails.

V Devices of this sortare well known and generally function by gripping the base of the rail firmly and bearing against the tie. Tn this respect my invention follows ordinary practice. I have, however, devised an improved rail anchor which has the following features: It is very simple to manufacture and to apply. It comprises a single piece. lt has improved means for firmly gripping the rail, which are produced in very simple manner. It is adapted to grip rails of somewhat 5 varying flange thicknesses and of somewhat varying flange widths. It requires no special tools for its application or removal.

The invention is illustrated in the single sheet of drawings filed herewith in which 1 is a projection of a rail and tie with my improved device applied to the rail; Fig.

2 is a plan view on a smaller scale of my anchor at one of the stages in its manufacture,

and Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

The anchor is applied to the flange 2 of the rail 1 and bears against the tie 3. It is made up of a single strip of steel possessing the requisite degree of hardness and elasticity.

The one end hooks over the top of the flange 0 as at 4. The portion below the rail is in contact with the base at only one point 5,

while the other end is given a reverse curve 6. The distance between the opposite points 7 and 8 of the anchor is slightly smaller before tne anchor is applied to the rail than the width of the rail flange. At the same time the distance from the point 8150 the edge 9 is slightly larger than the width of the flange so that ivlienthe end 4: is hooked over the flange and the opposite end of the anchor is broiight upward, the anchor can readily be forced into place. This is most conveniently done by prying up on the underside at the point 10. ll hen once 111 place, the spring action of the anchor presses it firmly against the flange so that it engages with some force at the points 7 and 8 and so that the point 5 is in contact with the base of the rail.

If the anchor were free to slide longitudinally along the rail, its purpose would of course be frustrated. I therefore make the following provision to keep the anchor from til slipping on the rail or the rail from slipping through it. I provide the points of the anchor which are to be in contact with the edges of the flange at points 7 and 8 with sharp longitudinal corrugations or teeth as at 11 and 12. These are preferably formed on the anchor while it is still in the shape of a straight strap as shown in Fig. 2. They can be produced by means of a rolling tool or any other preferred manner. They in ay,ifthought more convenient, extend. for the entire length of the strap, although this is obviously unnecessary. The main point about them is that they must be sharp so that they bite into the rail. If preferred, they may be made pointing in one direction although in that case care must be taken to apply them so that the teeth point in the direction from which the rail tends P to creep. As this is sometimes difficult to determine in advance, I prefer to form them as shown in the figures so that they may be applied without regard to the direction in which the creeping is likely to occur.

I am entirely aware that it has been proposed heretofore t-o serrate surfaces in connection with rail anchors to bite into the rail flan e, but in all the instances of which I am aware the serrations were on a separate piece. which makes the anchor so complicated and expensive that such anchors have not been put into practical use. With my improved form of the anchor, I get the advantages of the serrations and yet keep the device very simple and inexpensive both for manufacture and for application.

I claim:

A rail anchor comprising a strip of steel bent to hook over one edge of a rail flange, to contact with the bottom of the flange at a point remote from the two edges, and resiliently'to engage the second edge, and provider with sharp serrations where it engages the edges, the portion engaging the second edge extending above it, the part extending above the edge being curved with the convex side toward the rail, the curve being such that the. distance between the inside of the portion hooking over the first edge and the inner edge of the opposite end is larger than the width of the rail flange.

LUTHER D. LOVEKIN. 

